Bambara edwardi, Darby, Michael, 2014

Darby, Michael, 2014, Studies of Madagascan Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) 4: The genus Bambara including eight new species and the first account of blindness and aptery in the genus, Zootaxa 3895 (2), pp. 151-169 : 158

Bambara edwardi sp. n.

(Figs. 3, 12, 16, 18, 27–29)

Habitus Fig. 3. Length +/- 720µ. Colour yellow. Antenna length +/- 250 µ. Width across eyes 206µ min, 216µ max, 209µ mean. Single eye Fig. 18. Pronotum length 181µ min, 195µ max, 190µ mean; width 348µ min, 363µ max, 354µ mean; ratio width/length 1.86. Detached elytron length 444µ min, 450µ max, 447µ mean; width 224µ min, 237µ max, 225µ mean; ratio length/width 1.99, Fig. 18. Ratio mean elytra length/ mean pronotum length 2.35. Metacoxal plates Fig. 12 .

Male: No males known.

Female: Spermathecae Figs. 27–29.

Etymology. Named after my elder son who has been very helpful to me in the field.

Diagnosis. Based on the form of the spermatheca which is only likely to be confused with lanquidula but the bend in edwardi is much tighter and the arm close to the pump longer. edwardi is also a larger species than lanquidula and noticeably more yellow.

Type data: Holotype: ♀, Andasibe N.P., Circuit Indri 2, sifting, 20.xi.2010, S.Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH). Paratypes: 4 exs [38], same data as holotype; ♀ [9], Andasibe N.P. border, ASB/ Nov 2011, sifting leaf litter, Winkler app. extr., 29.xi.2011. L.S. Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♀, Andasibe N.P., ASB/07/2011,shallow ravine, sifting, Winkler app. extr. S. 18°56'50.5" E.48°25'20.4", 947 m, 11.iv.2011, L.S. Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 2 ♀. Andasibe N.P. Belle Vue, ASB/ May/2011/04, sifting forest litter, Winkler app. extr. S. 18°56'45.3" E.48°25'21.1", 1033 m, 2.v.2011, L.S. Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); 2 exs [3], Andasibe N.P., sifting forest litter, Winkler app. extr., S. 18°56'09.5" E.48°25'08.2", 943 m, 11.iv.2011, P.Banar & L.S. Rahanitriniaina ( BMNH); ♀ Vohimana Reservation experimentale, VOH/ Nov.2011/01, sifting forest litter, Winkler app. extr., 27.xi.2011, L.S. Rahanitriniaina & P. Banar ( BMNH);

FIGURES 1–9. Bambara spp. habitus. 1, B. problematica ; 2, B. secubita ; 3, B. edwardi ; 4, B. lanquidula ; 5, B. opaca ; 6, B. verecunda ; 7, B. thomasi ; 8, B. merina ; 9, B. dybasi .

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 16. Skeletal features, mentum and prementum, antenna and eye. 10, B. secubita pronotum and elytron, x 2240; 11, B. problematica mesoventrum including collar and keel, x 1200; 12, B. edwardi metaventrum and coxal plates, x 945; 13, B. secubita mesoventrum profile, x 910; 14, B. verecunda mentum and prementum, x 990; 15, B. merina antenna showing sensillae on antennomere 10, x 1560; 16, B. edwardi eye showing emargination to allow for front angle of pronotum, x 1620.